1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to an accessory tool for use in various tasks performed by painters, particularly painters employing paint rollers.
2. Description of Related Art
There are numerous subsidiary tasks which a painter must perform as he goes about his primary work of applying paint to the various surfaces required. For example, a painter using paint rollers must change the sleeves on the paint rollers frequently and from time to time must scrape the paint off the paint roller as he works. In addition, he must open paint pails, putty holes in trim, unscrew switch plates, clean sash corners and perform a variety of scraping operations.
Various devices have been previously disclosed for accomplishing one or several of the above tasks.
In particular, a number of devices have been previously disclosed for removing paint from rollers and for removing rollers from the roller handles. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,165 to Krezanowski, is a paint removal device made of wire for use with rollers made of sponge material which would be of limited usefulness with nap type rollers commonly used. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,631 to Marrs, shows another wire type for paint removal device which would be relatively ineffective with vary thick naps. U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,683 to Meyer, is a tong device for cleaning and removing the paint roller. This is a relatively complicated and cumbersome device and grips the roller in a squeezing action for removal which would tend to crush or deform the relatively fragile roller and once deformed it would be difficult to slide off the paint roller. The Wilcox et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,361 is a paint roller cleaner and sleeve remover comprising two semi-cylindrical halves which are hinged together. Each half of the tool has an inwardly extending flange at a corresponding one of their ends. The flange extends inwardly to a diameter approximately equal to or very slightly greater than the inner diameter of the core of a typical paint roller. The curved edge on one of the halves can be pressed against the roller to scrape paint from the roller nap. The roller sleeve itself is removed by closing the device surrounding one end of the paint roller and with the inner margin of the flange abutting the end of the roller core. The roller may then be slid off the paint roller tool. This tool is somewhat awkward to use and is limited to the two functions described.
A simple device capable of both cleaning and removing paint rollers and performing other tasks with which the painter is faced, is highly desirable.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple blade tool capable of removing the roller sleeves from a paint roller tool without damaging the roller tool and also having means for scraping paint from the roller sleeves.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multipurpose tool having means for opening both small and large paint cans.
It is a further object of the invention to provide on a multipurpose tool knife edges for scraping paint from windows and small broad surfaces for applying patch compounds.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide at the handle of a multipurpose painter's tool a hammer surface for setting nail pops.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.